"Tamsin I'm going to need your help, I can't do this without you."
"But if they make me candy then I can't hurt anyone anymore and everyone will like me."
"I like you."
"You won't like me when I confess the truth. I'm the reason the Wanderer found you. In a previous life, I hunted Fae fugitives for a price. I was a Valkyrie, I was the best and I was greedy. One look into his eyes and I knew I'd never really met true evil, not until then. I told myself I was powerless to refuse this beast, so I accepted his bounty to find a woman, I took comfort that the woman he described couldn't possibly exist. Eyes both brown and blue, virtuous, yet lustful. Neither Dark nor Light, yet both. So you see, you weren't supposed to be real and the fact that I helped that monster find you."
"Hey Tamsin, listen to me, none of that matter now, do you understand? Hey, I forgive you."
"I forgive you."
"I forgive you."
Three words swirled in Tamsin's head for days, it was unbelievable to her. She was even more perfect than she remembered the Wanderer describing her as, but the more those three words that Bo uttered to her repeated, the more guilt washed over Tamsin and consumed her.
Her thoughts both surprised and crushed her. She's known, she'd known for a while.
"Where do you get off being so perfect? Think you seen everything and then you see you."
"I'm alright, but I'm not perfect."
"Yes you are, to me you are. Your eyes are both brown and blue."
"Tamsin, what are you doing?"
"Your heart is both strong and gentle, you're virtuous, yet you're a Succubus. You shouldn't be."
"Be what?"
"Be real, be here."
But she couldn't let herself believe it, say it or feel it, because Valkyrie's didn't deal in love.
"Have you seen Tam Tam?" Kenzi asked bouncing into the kitchen.
"No, I haven't seen her since Yule," Bo admitted, handing Kenzi a cup of coffee. "Have you?"
"I see her when I wake up in the middle of the night and she's passed out in my room, but she's always gone before I wake up and she comes in once I'm asleep," Kenzi said her eyes worried. "What happened between you two?"
"I already told you," Bo stated. "She was the reason the Wanderer found me, past life shit."
"I need to find her," Kenzi mumbled.
"I'm sure she's fine, Kenz."
"You don't know that and she's just a baby."
"She's not a baby anymore."
"I know, I guess. I just feel-"
"Protective over her?"
"Yeah."
"I have to go talk to Dyson, I'll ask him if he's heard from her and I'll let you know, okay?" Bo said walking over to the smaller woman and wrapping her arms around her.
"Now serving 69."
"Well, I wasn't expecting to see you here all alone," Evony said as she turned her chair dramatically to face the human standing at the door of her office. "Where's your owner?"
"I told you before, I am no one's pet," Kenzi spat. "I want to know where Tamsin is."
"And how exactly would I know where the little Valkyrie spends her days?"
"You're the leader of the dark, isn't keeping tabs on your people kind of your job?"
"It is, but I don't know where the Valkyrie is, but when you find her, tell her it would probably do her some good to return my phone calls, unless she wants to face my wrath."
"Your wrath?" Kenzi laughed. "Sure whatever," the human turned on her heel to leave, only to feel a hand close on her shoulder.
"You know, for a human, you've got a certain Fae quality about you," Evony said in a sweet, but still sour voice.
"I'm all about good quality," Kenzi said shrugging off the Morrigan's hand. "So do yourself a favour and don't touch the merchandise."
"Another," Tamsin said slamming her shot glass down onto the bar counter in front of drink.
"You do know that's it's only noon right?" Trick asked as he poured the Valkyrie another and handed her the bottle. "I have things to do, help yourself, but stay away from the top shelf."
Tamsin watched as the Blood King retreated and she sighed, laying her head against the cool wood, all the alcohol in the world couldn't help her misplace her feelings or drown her guilt. When she watched as Kenzi entered into the Dal, Tamsin quickly tried to hide, but it was too late.
"Yo Valkyrie, what the hell?" Kenzi called out, throwing her hands into the air.
"Oh hey Kenzi, I didn't see-"
"Save it, what the hell is up with you, where have you been?"
"Around."
"Well that's vague. The Morrigan's looking for you."
"I just had some things to sort out, things I'm still trying to sort out," Tamsin started. "And Evony can shove it, I don't want to deal with her anymore."
"She's the Morrigan, I don't think you have a choice."
"I know, but I just need time away from everything, time to geth my head around everything. I'm just learning and not liking the person I remember being."
"Does this have anything to do with your feelings for my Bestie?" Kenzi laughed as she reached over the bar and grabbed herself a bottle.
"How did you know?" Tamsin said looking at the human curiously.
"I see more than most," Kenzi shrugged. "It's easy to see when you're doing the watching and no one is really watching you."
"How come you never have to pay?" Tamsin wondered out loud. "You're the only person I've ever seen that doesn't get handed a bill by Trick at the end of the night."
Kenzi smiled and thought back to her arrangement with Bo's Grandfather, "I did him a favour a while back, he needed my help summoning a Lightening Bird."
"Ah," Tamsin said nodding her head.
"So you're really the reason the Wanderer found Bo Bo?" Kenzi asked turning on her stool to face the blonde woman.
"I am, I didn't think she was real, I don't understand how she's real."
"She forgives you."
"She shouldn't."
"Why not?"
"She should hate me for what I've done, I've lied, I've cheated to get what I want, I sent her to him," Tamsin whispered.
"You killed yourself to try and save her," Kenzi pointed out.
"But I didn't save her."
"At least you tried," Kenzi said pouring a shot for herself and one for Tamsin.
"I've never loved," Tamsin said as she threw back the shot and handed the glass to Kenzi who poured her another. "Valkyrie's don't love, we don't need it and I, in particular don't care for it, but when she hugs me-"
"It's safe," Kenzi smiled.
"It's love." Tamsin nodded.
"Why don't you tell her how you feel?"
"Weren't you listening, Valkyrie's don't do love, we don't do feelings, I'm the Harbinger of Death, Short stack. Not the Harbinger of Love and mushy shit." Tamsin said shaking her head, her eyes growing sad. "Plus she's got the Doc and Dyson, she doesn't need me."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Kenzi said with a smile.
"Aren't you on Team Wolf?"
"I'm on Team Valkyrie," Kenzi smiled. "D-Man's awesome, but I have a soft spot for you."
"Why?"
"You helped Bo save my life and I see you differently now," Kenzi admitted. "I saw you as a baby, as someone that needed protecting."
"I have some crazy hair when I'm small," Tamsin said with a laugh.
"So full and lustrous," Kenzi agreed.
"Every time."
"Is that why you've been so MIA?"
"My hair? No I think it's under control now." Tamsin said lifting a hand and patting her own head
"No, you feel guilty about Bo?" Kenzi said smacking the woman's arm.
"I feel guilty, but she forgives me and I can't accept her forgiveness, I don't deserve it," Tamsin said shrugging her shoulders.
"Everyone deserves a second chance."
"Yeah, everyone deserves a second chance," Bo said rounding the corner.
"Bo," Kenzi and Tamsin said together.
"How much did you hear?" The Valkyrie asked as she watched Kenzi gather her belongings and leave the two Fae woman alone.
"Enough to know you and I definitely need to talk." Bo said taking Kenzi's seat and reaching for a bottle.
R+R appreciated. Should I continue, I was just bored and started writing, but I think I might continue this.
